O. Rogeriee Thompson facts for kids

Ojetta Rogeriee Thompson, born on August 8, 1951, is a very important judge in the United States. She serves as a senior United States circuit judge for the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit. This court is a high-level court that reviews decisions made by lower courts in several states. Before becoming a federal judge, she was a justice in the Rhode Island Superior Court.

About Judge Thompson

Her Early Life and Schooling

Ojetta Rogeriee Thompson was born in Anderson, South Carolina. She grew up in Greenville, South Carolina. She attended Scarsdale High School in Scarsdale, New York. She was part of a special program called the Student Transfer and Exchange Program (STEP). She graduated from high school in 1969.

After high school, she moved to Rhode Island to attend Pembroke College. This was a women's college connected to Brown University. She earned her first degree, a Bachelor of Arts (BA), from Brown University in 1973. Later, she earned her law degree, called a Juris Doctor (JD), from the Boston University School of Law in 1976.

Starting Her Law Career

Judge Thompson started working even while she was in college. In 1973, she worked as a cashier. In 1975, she was a law clerk for the Harvard Legal Aid Bureau. A law clerk helps lawyers with research and paperwork.

In 1974, she began as a legal intern for Rhode Island Legal Services. She returned there in 1976 as a Senior Staff Attorney. She also managed the Family Law section until 1979. From 1979 to 1980, she worked for a law firm.

In 1980, she became the Assistant City Solicitor for Providence, Rhode Island. This meant she was a lawyer working for the city government. She held this job until 1982. Also in 1980, she started her own law practice. In 1984, she opened her own law firm in South Providence. She did this while raising a family with her husband, William Clifton, who was also a judge.

In 1988, she was appointed to the Rhode Island District Court. This was her first time becoming a judge. Then, in 1997, she was promoted to the Rhode Island Superior Court.

Becoming a Federal Judge

In 2009, two senators from Rhode Island, Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse, suggested that President Obama nominate Judge Thompson for a federal judge position. They wanted her to fill a spot on the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit.

On October 6, 2009, President Obama officially nominated her for the position. The United States Senate voted on her nomination on March 17, 2010. She was confirmed by a vote of 98–0, meaning almost everyone agreed she should be a judge. She officially became a judge on March 30, 2010. On September 21, 2022, she took on "senior status." This means she still works as a judge but with a reduced caseload.

Important Court Cases

In August 2017, Judge Thompson disagreed with a decision made by the full court. The court decided against a lawsuit that wanted to give Puerto Ricans the right to vote in U.S. federal elections.

In July 2020, Judge Thompson was part of a court decision that reviewed a very serious case. The court decided to send parts of the case back to a lower court because of some errors in the original sentencing process. However, the court upheld a life sentence in the case. Later, in March 2022, the Supreme Court made a final decision on the death sentence in that case.

Her Family Life

Judge Thompson lives in Cranston, Rhode Island. She has three children.

See also

• List of African-American federal judges
• List of African-American jurists
• List of first women lawyers and judges in Rhode Island